10 Romantic Date Ideas in Porto, Porto, Portugal

When I discovered Porto earlier this year, I fell in love. So naturally, I talked my girlfriend into moving there. Now that I’ve spent some time visiting her there, my dreamy impression of the city held up. It’s easily one of the most romantic destinations in Europe without even trying. Here are some of the nicest ways to enjoy it.

One of the defining features of Porto is how elevated it is. The city is built in layers, and almost all of them have beautiful views. One of the best places to enjoy the view over the river is from the gardens at the Palacio de Cristal. The walking paths take you up and down the neatly pruned gardens through fountains, rock caves, mini waterfalls, and plenty of lookout spots that offer a nice view of the Douro River.

Right across the bridge in Vila Nova de Gaia is a whole world of wine. This is the central hub of port wine production. You’ll find at least a dozen dark cool cellars, smelling of rich cask wood and fermented grapes. There’s almost no place more romantic to have a date than that. At these independent port houses, you can taste different varieties of the famed sweet wine.

If you’re not in the mood for a strong dessert wine, you can take your favorite red to Hill Garden which is directly over the Dom Luis I Bridge in Nova de Gaia. Hill Garden is sloped so you can sit back and relax with a beautiful view of Porto on the other side of the river. Just remember not to leave a mess behind if you do bring snacks or drinks to the park. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).